1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing system including an information processing apparatus which transmits a processing flow and an image processing apparatus which executes the received processing flow, the information processing apparatus and the image processing apparatus as components of the image processing system, a method of controlling the information processing apparatus, and a method of controlling the image processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an image processing apparatus, there has been proposed one equipped with a plurality of functions, such as a print function, a scan function, an e-mail transmission function, and a facsimile transmission function. A combination of a plurality of processes (hereinafter referred to as “tasks”) to be executed by functions equipped in such an image processing apparatus, which is formed by connecting the tasks into a sequence for time-series execution and contains settings, is called a processing flow. This processing flow is displayed for execution as a button or the like on a display section, and is executed when the button is depressed by a user.
This processing flow can be shared between image processing apparatuses of different models. For example, a processing flow created in a source image processing apparatus can be transmitted to a destination image processing apparatus and be executed thereby.
However, when the processing flow created in the source image processing apparatus is transmitted to the destination image processing apparatus and is executed thereby, if there is a function which is equipped in the source image processing apparatus but not equipped in the destination image processing apparatus, results of the execution of the processing flow by the destination image processing apparatus are different from those of the execution of the same to be obtained by the source image processing apparatus. This makes it impossible to execute the processing flow as intended by the user.
As a method of sharing a processing flow between the different models, for example, there has been proposed a technique in which a source image processing apparatus transmits a processing flow to a destination image processing apparatus via a processing flow management server.
In this proposal, if the processing flow management server determines that it is not possible to execute the received processing flow in the destination image processing apparatus, the processing flow management server transmits a range of settings that can be executed to the source image processing apparatus. Then, the processing flow management server causes the display section of the source image processing apparatus to display a selection screen for selecting settings from the range.
Another image processing apparatus has been proposed which receives desired values input by a user and converts the configuration of a processing flow into a form also executable by a destination image processing apparatus according to the desired values (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-088663).
By the way, when transmitting the processing flow to the destination image processing apparatus, the source image processing apparatus sometimes converts the processing flow in respect of a function thereof, and in this case, the converted processing flow becomes different from the processing flow intended by the user.
On the other hand, the version of an application stored in the destination image processing apparatus, which receives a processing flow, or that of controller firmware of the destination image processing apparatus itself is sometimes upgraded, and with this upgrade, the destination image processing apparatus becomes capable of executing the processing flow as intended by the user.
However, in this case, the processing flow has been converted in respect of a function by the source image processing apparatus, and hence to execute the processing flow as intended by the user, it is required to transmit the processing flow again from the source image processing apparatus to the destination image processing apparatus.